the storytime ventures of a children's librarian

(I started off by introducing the letter, and then asked the kids for some words that started with D. After some examples I showed a list of D words that would appear in our storytime: Duck, Doll, Dance, Dog, Dragon, Dinosaur.)

Book: Do Like a Duck Does – Judy Hindley

(I’ve used this a number of times, and it’s always a big hit!)

Flannel Board: Five Little Dolls

One little doll sat way up high

She fell off and began to cry.

She hit the ground and her side went ‘Crack’

Another doll came to help her back.

Two little dolls sat way up high,

One fell off and began to cry…

(continue)

(last verse)

Five little dolls sat way up high,

Now they never fell off and never did cry

How many dolls were up so high?

One two three, four and five.

(I really wanted to do this rhyme, and perhaps I will for Thursday’s group, if I can find my matryoshka dolls! Instead I did the variation of ‘One Little Elephant’ that I used for Circus Storytime with my clown figures, and just said Doll in place of Clown.)

Book: Hilda Must Be Dancing – Karma Wilson

(I lovely bright book with a very satisfying ending. It felt just a tinsy bit long today.)

(A great guided dance song, and the kids were ready to get some energy out!)

Book: Paper Bag Princess – Robert Munch

(This was a big hit! I worried a little about the length after Hilda, needlessly.)

Flannel Board: Where oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone
Oh where, oh where can he be
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long
Oh where, oh where can he be?

(Oh, this was a good time! I had trouble hiding the puppy discreetly, so the kids had to close their eyes while I put the pieces up. We did it three times, singing after each hiding with the kids choosing which item to look under, and they still wanted more! Good thing I had dinosaurs coming) ~.o

Book: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? – Jane Yolen

(This series is fantastic, the text and illustrations are perfectly matched. Kids love them!)

Activity: Streamers

(Then the kids got to dance some more, but with streamers. One of the best receptions I’ve had in a while.)

(I used the first story where the two friends can’t go on a walk due to their different speeds, so they take a boat ride instead.)

Book: Do Like Duck Does – Judy Hindley

Activity: Turtle Dance (see at end)

(A variation of the Hokey Pokey.)

Book: Foo, the Flying Frog of Washtub Pond – Belle Yang

(I used a blow up alligator balloon that I had trimmed the nose and tail of for Foo. He was puffed up and deflated following the story.)

Song: 5 Little Ducks from the CD Rise and Shine by Raffi

Book: In the Small Small Pond – Denise Flemming

Flannel Board: Raindrops Fell All Around(see at end)

Activity: Streamers(as frog tongues)

(There was the idea of linking the streamers to the theme, but the kids really didn’t care…they just played!)

The Parts:

Turtle Dance – to tune of Hokey Poky

You stick your right arm out, you stick your right arm in

You stick your right arm out, and you shake it while you spin.

You act just like a turtle and you tuck into your shell,

Everything head to tail!

Repeat with left arm, right leg, left leg, head, tail, and ‘it all’.

Raindrops Fell all around – flannelboard song. Do in call and echo style with kids.

There was a pond, a little pond. The bluest pond, that you ever did see.

chorus: (sung all together)

And the raindrops fell all around all around. The raindrops fell all around.

And on that pond, there was a lilly pad, the greenest lilly pad, that you ever did see.

Chorus: The pad on the pond and the raindrops fell…

And on that pad, there was a flower, the prettiest flower, that you ever did see.

Chorus: The flower on the pad and the pad on the pond and the raindrops fell…

And on that flower, there was a frog, the slimiest frog, that you ever did see.

Chorus: The frog on the flower and the flower on the pad and the pad on the pond…

And on that frog, there was a tongue, the stickiest tongue, that you ever did see.

Chorus: The tongue on the frog and the frog on the flower and the flower on the pad…

And on that tongue, there was a bug, the tinsiest bug, that you ever did see.

Chorus: The bug on the tongue and the tongue on the frog and the frog on the flower…

And on that tongue, there was a dinosaur!, the biggest dinosaur, that you ever did see!

Chorus: The dinosaur on the bug and the bug on the tongue and the tongue on the frog and the frog on the flower and the flower on the pad and the pad on the pond and the raindrops fell all around all around, and the raindrops fell all around.